Exploring Different Forms of Poetry
EXPLORING DIFFERENT FORMS OF POETRY
Here are some different types of poems to try.
ACROSTIC:
lnacrostic poems, the first letters of each line are aligned vertically to form a word.
The word often is the subject of the poem. An example is
Elegantly and efficiently shaped
Good to eat
Great fun to find at Easter
Smooth shelled
Acrostic poems - http ://
ALPHABET:
Each line begins-with the letters of the alphabet in order. An example -
A young girl was busy working on her project for school
But suddenly she had a question.
Could this be her lucky day?
Deciding to find out, she
Entered her backyard and
Found hundreds of green shamrocks waiting for her.
Another type of alphabet poem requires you to use all 26 letters of the alphabet in your poem.
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL:
Write a poem about yourself using this form or another poetry form.
Line 1: __ Your name
Line 2: __,__, __ 3 personal characteristics or physicaltraits
Line 3: Brother or sister of__ or son/daughter of
Line 4: Who loves__, __and__ 3 people, things, ideas
Line 5: Who feels__about 1 emotion about 1 thing
Line 6: Who needs__, __ and__ 3 things you need
Line 7: Who gives __, __and __ 3 objects you share
Line 8: Who fears__, __, and__ 3 items
Line 9: Who'd like to see __, 1 place, or person
Line 10: Who dreams of__ 1 item or idea
Line 11: A student of__ your school or teacher's name
Line 12: __ Nickname or repeat your first name
CINQUAIN:
Cinquains have five lines
Line 1:Title (noun) - 1 word
Line 2: Description - 2 words
Line 3: Action - 3 words
Line 4: Feeling (phrase) - 4 words
Line 5: Title (synonym for the title) - 1 word
An example is -
Helpful, caring
Loves to garden
Excitable, likes satisfying people
Teacher
Create a cinquain online at
http ://
animal cinquain -
COLOR:
Express your feelings about a color with analogies or similes or list nouns which are(orremind you of)
that color. Another form is to use the 5 senses-looks like, sounds like, smells like, tastes like, feels like.
Color looks like
Color sounds like
Color smells like
Color tastes Iike
Color feels like
An example is -
Orange
Orange is feeling in your stomach after an orange soda quenched your thirst.
Orange is the sun after a summer day.
Orange is the sound of a field filled with dandelions blowing in the wind.
Orange is the taste of a pizza that just came out of the oven.
Orange is the sound of a busy bumblebee.
Orange is the taste of cold glass of orange juice.
Orange is the feeling inside you when you accomplish something.
Orange is the sound of a tomato plant growing.
Orange is the color of a carrot that just popped out of the ground.
Orange is the smell of a Tiger-Lily petal.
Orange is the feeling after a baby smiles.
Orange is the color of a brown beaver's incisor.
Orange is the smell of a late July day.
Orange is the feeling of a puppy's fur.
Orange is the color of peach marmalade on a side of toast.
Orange is the sound of a canoe paddling through shallow water.
And orange is a colorthat is safe and alive.
DIAMANTE:
The Diamante is a form similar to the Cinquain. The text forms the shape of a diamond.
Line 1: Noun or subject - one word
Line 2: Two Adjectives that describe line 1
Line 3: Three 'ing words that describe line 1
Line 4: Four nouns - the first two are connected with line 1; the last two are connected with line 7
Line 5: Three 'ing words that describe line 7
Line 6: Two adjectives that describe line 7
Line 7: Noun Synonym for the subject
An example is-
Pencil
Sharp, skinny
Writing, answering, erasing
Wood, lead, ink, plastic
Drawing, smudging, leaking
Durable, comfortable
Pen
Diamantes online -
EPITAPH:
"Here lies Sam Shay,
Smoked six packs a day.
He started smoking when he was five.
Now that fool is no longer alive."
See anti-smoking poems at Teachers at http.//
HAIKU:
Haiku is Japanese poetry that reflects on nature and feelings. You use your observation skills to write what you see in a new or different way.
There are three lines with five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second, and five syllables in
the third. Example:
Snow melts.
Suddenly, the village
is full of children.
Haiku lessons and ideas -
How To -
LIMERICK:
A limerick has five lines.
The last words of lines one, two, and five rhyme.
The last words of lines three and four rhyme.
A limerick has to have a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.
USUUSUUS
USUUSUUS
USUUS
USUUS
USUUSUUS
An example is -
There was an old man from Peru
Who dreamed he was eating his shoe
He awoke in the night
With a terrible fright
To discover it was totally true
Limericks online -
htttp://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/harrisms/limerick.htm
RHYMING:
Couplets are made up of two lines whose last words rhyme. They are often silly. An exampleis -
The cat ate a mouse
And then brought it in the house.
Triplets are made up of three lines. The rhyming pattern can be AAA or ABA. An example is -
What a fine day
To go out to play
In the month of May.
Quatrains are made up of four lines. The rhyming pattern can be AABB or ABAB. An example is:
I never saw a purple cow,
I never hope to see one:
But I can tellyou, anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one.
For help finding words that rhyme, go to
SHAPE (or C0NCRETE):
Shape poems are made up of words that have been placed in such a way that they make the shape of an objectand also use words to describe the object.
Start by making a simple outline of the shape or object (an animal, a football, a fruit etc.) large enough to fill apiece of paper. Then brainstorm a minimum of ten words and phrases that describe the shape. List action andfeeling words as well. Next, place a piece of paper over the shape and decide where your words are going to beplaced so that they outline your shape but also fit welltogether.
Separate words and phrases with commas.
http ://
- Information adapted from
Additional kids poetry websites:
- poems, how to write a poem, rhyming dictionary, poetry games
- poems, fill in the blank poems, poetry theater, ask the poet
- Shel Silverstein's website
- Jack Prelutsky's website